Who You Do Or Don't Want To Be
by Beyond The Mat
Summary: When a name is spat at you like it's profanity-and you're told to go ask your cousin just what that entails-you end up learning more about some dark things within the company than you bargained for. OC Logan Cena and John Cena have quite a discussion. Featuring RKO, who started this, without John's knowledge or consent. So it was a bit harsh? Orton isn't sorry. Kid needs to know.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: We're not sure how you guys are feeling about our stuff. The numbers in the traffic stats say we're reaching you, but with reviews and PMs a little harder to come by, feel free to post your thoughts on our writing. Other than that, standard disclaimers apply. Thanks.-BTM

("And if you don't review, you can go fuck yourself like the Hulk Hogan."-Iron Sheik)

* * *

Basics you need to know?

Logan is John Cena's young cousin, the product of John Cena Sr.'s brother and a Viagra prescription. Ben Runnels is Cody's young half-brother, courtesy of the American Dream and another little blue pill. You can stop throwing up a little in your mouth anytime now...at least you don't have to live with the knowledge that -your- old man is literally too old for babymaking unless there's pharmaceutical assistance, and that your womb for rent let old men in. And in the case of Dream, old, obese men.

You're welcome.

* * *

Randy Orton had a few words with Logan Cena a few hours ago, when it was still considered "late at night" and not "ungodly hour of the morning".

He'd come to pluck his son Peyton out of the equation of the Cena/Runnels trouble that was brewing, (and by trouble, we mean good pals shit, not fighting or anything) when Logan shot a pretty unexpected wisecrack Big Orton's way. It was not responded to very well-Randy had given Logan a piece of his mind as well as the advice to "Go talk to John and tell him that if this shit keeps up, I predict you're the next Gunner Calloway." It was the way Randy had said those words, that Logan must have felt like a judicial sentence had just been levied...there was no trace of anything nice in the way Randy said it. The words were innocuous enough, but only because Logan didn't know who the hell Gunner Calloway was. And there was something in the way Randy told him to go tell John...Logan instinctively knew it couldn't be good.

Peyton was a little embarrassed that his father had swooped in like that and came to get him, but he was more or less used to it. His Dad is unpredictable. Everybody knows that. But what his Dad and Logan discussed, Peyton couldn't tell you, because they'd done it out of Ben and Peyton's earshot. All he knew is he was afraid Ben was going to troll him for "Your Daddy comes and gets you like you're 5."

To Logan's credit, the pretense of being a smartass was dropped. He'd backed down and retreated with Ben, and their night was effectively over.

Apex Predator? More like Cerebral Assassin after the head game Randy had dropped on him, but Triple H would probably bury everybody before parting with that name.

* * *

Randy was still pissed. "The fuck that kid thinks he is, talkin' to me like that," he'd grumbled to himself, but hadn't told Peyton what the conversation entailed: If he'd wanted Peyton to hear it, he wouldn't have pulled Logan aside.

While the kids who were traveling with them were generally well-behaved, Randy knew he'd crossed a line when he'd thrown out the Logan Cena/Gunner Calloway comparison. Was he sorry he'd done it? Fuck, no. Better to head shit off at the pass. You don't fucking sass -him- like that. He hoped John straightened shit out. Randy has his own kid to worry about, and doesn't need a little smartass thinking he's on the level of an adult...a Main Eventer, no less...and talking to him like he's one of the boys. They're -not- on the same level. Maybe the undercard allows kids with last names like Orton and Cena to talk to them like that, but if Randy caught word that Peyton was speaking to the workers that way, he'd have his foot in his kid's ass so fast...

John and Logan had a different relationship. They weren't father and son, but John took a guardianship role and had custody. Sometimes that doesn't always mean be a friend. Randy took his responsibilities to Peyton seriously. He's not the greatest father, but hell. He doesn't think -his- kid would be Gunner, Part Deux.

* * *

Logan was stewing over it. He couldn't get the name "Gunner Calloway" out of his mind. And so, he did something about it.

He had been up most of the night, slept a little, and was right back up. After he ended up getting into a mild...Conversation with Randy, the whole Gunner thing lingered in his head. he wanted to say he was a pro with the whole backstage thing, but there were a group of kids there before them. John was there longer than most, so surely he knew. He'd never admit it, but it was eating at him. And nothing (supposedly) eats at him like this.

_**You need to do me a favor and tell about Gunner. Has to ring some bells, or something.**_

If asked, he was not going to admit what happened late last night/early morning. Would put it all to curiosity.

* * *

John replied:

**_Too much to text. This is something we'll talk about face to face. Just tell me where you heard that name. You know what? I just looked at the clock. You see what time it is? Time for you to get back to this hotel room. Come up before Security ends up bringing you up. It's way too late to be out. We've had this discussion before._**

And now he's wondering if Gunner Calaway's shown his face here. John sure as hell hopes not. The years of Gunner more or less running the show when it came to 'E kids are past, but the memory remains. John didn't have guardianship of Logan yet while Gunner was most prominent, and all people responsible for kids do keep an eye out for the ne'er do well who happens to be Undertaker's real-life son. Gunner's older now, but doubtfully still not wiser, and still an asshole who could exert nothing but bad influence over the kids.

John sent another text, just in case.

**_Only reason I know you're on the grounds was that I GPSed your phone. You're lucky I have a basic idea where you are, because if you asked me that question and I didn't know where you were, shit would've got real, real fast, and escalated quicker than you realize. Get up here now, Logan._**

John wouldn't be sleeping tonight. Not now, wondering about how the hell that blast from the past, and not a welcome name, has come out of Logan. He paced the room while he waited for his young cousin to make his appearance, and stay in for the night.

* * *

Logan simmered.

Seriously? Seriously!?

He was not about to go through this with John. Of all times for his little "protector" attitude to show up, he chooses now. He didn't even bother to take the last text seriously, and was focusing more on his original question. He doubted any shit "getting real" because it was nothing to get real over. As if Logan didn't stay out for long periods of time anyway. Whatever.

_**Fine. On the way. I figured you would have known where the hell I was at in the first place, because I never go far. Be up there in a second.  
**_  
What's up with him and backing down today? Jesus.

* * *

But John wanted to wait until morning.

Logan didn't.

Cue the entrance theme to "The Battle Of Wills."

* * *

Well, this family was good for one thing, it was making things four times harder than what they needed to be. Of course all Logan wanted was an answer to his question, which was "Who the hell is Gunner, and why is he relevant?" A part of him knew he should have just went to someone else who was old and wouldn't care as much. But no, he went to John. How fucking stupid.

So he barged off of the elevator, in a mood just short of being peeved, and slid into his room quietly. He could do this tomorrow, couldn't he? 

So he kicked his shoes off, changed, and walked through the bathroom to get to John's room. Stuck his head in with a "I'm back," and was proceeding to go back to his own room. He wasn't afraid, but he was thinking John was in a fussy mood, and he don't have the time for it. No, seriously. They've had it out before, and he doesn't want to go down that road.


	2. Chapter 2

"I just can't believe -that- name, of all names, was brought up. Yeah, let me go. He just got back," John said, and ended the call. Gunner Calaway, a name that Logan asked about. Wanna talk about a "Blast from the Past" that nobody tries to bring up, and now, John has to have a conversation he didn't want to have?

He hung up with Randy, slightly annoyed with his friend for putting him in this position. He could understand if Randy wanted to tell Peyton about Gunner. Randy's still adjusting to having his son full-time on the road, but John's position was different. Logan had been coming and there hadn't been any "Gunner-style" problems. So to bring this name up after everything, it sort of caught John more than off guard. At first, John thought Randy should've told the story himself, but then in rethinking that, it's better if it comes from John.

Because let's face it. Every story has different versions of it. There could be fifty different versions of the same story, and they could all be true-it just depends on whose perspective it's being told from. So for Randy to have told it, there could have been a lot more to have been said that Logan needn't hear, true or not.

So John's sanitizing it in his head before he approaches Logan. Logan probably saw John ending the phonecall, and he took a deep breath, and went to have this conversation.

Clearly, John wasn't happy about it. He's not an easy guy to shake, but the more he thinks about sanitizing it, the less he'll be able to tell convincingly.

He sat on the edge of Logan's bed, waiting for Logan to settle. It wasn't defeat that defined the rounding of John's shoulders, but it's obvious that he's got to pull these words out of himself.

He did have to look at Logan, though, and give a rueful, lame version of a smile. "If you were younger, I could start this off with 'once upon a time' and put a Disney spin on some of it, and you might buy it." But all too soon, the smile faded, and John took a deep breath.

"What I'm gonna tell you stays in this room, you don't gossip about it with Ben or Randy's kid or anybody. I don't want this name bein' discussed even between us after this, 'cause it took a long time for that name to just go away in the first place.

"Every family has their..problem family members. You know that, that ain't a secret." John ticked a few off on his fingers, counting them for Logan's benefit: Nattie Neidhart's father, a big deal in the 80s, was reduced to a convict on burglary and drug charges. Hulk Hogan's son Nick killed somebody behind the wheel of his car. Punk just got a restraining order against his mother.

"...but what the problem is, is when..okay. When shit got real with Jim the Anvil, Nattie was already grown. They already sold her as a Hart, and she gets looked on with pity when it comes to her old man. Nobody really bothers her about it. Hogan...well, he did what he could to protect his kid, but everybody knows he's an asshole. And Punk's mother is nuts. She's lucky he only signed a paper on her and didn't have her put in jail. So we all have our issues," John said, not needing to use their own family in the variable, because some things needn't be said. He's just highlighting others to let Logan know that they're nothing special, yet nothing -bad- in the scheme of things. That others have it worse than Logan does. Logan's got it pretty good.

"But out of everybody's who's fucked up...well, can't forget Jimmy Snuka..Tamina's father. Killed his girlfriend in a hotel years ago, and this was before forensics and shit were really good. If that case got reopened today, he could probably do life in jail..out of everybody's baggage, there was one kid that no matter what the hell he did, it seemed like nobody could do a damned thing about it. That was Gunner Calaway."

John did something totally not his usual style. "Wait here a minute." He left Logan's room and hit the minibar, then came back with a beer in his hand. Beer: It's what's for breakfast.

"And no, you can't have one, so don't ask." John returned with the top cracked off and took a long draw from the neck of the Corona, before sitting back down.

"Gunner caused a lot of people a lot of problems. Whenever he'd travel with Taker, was always somebody's rental gettin' broken into. Somebody's bag gettin' stolen from. It wasn't ribs, Logan. There was nothin' funny about it. Then one day, somebody had a bunch of shit they shouldn't have had in their bag...he's no longer with the company...let's just say he ran his own..illegal..pharmacy."

That would be Chris Masters, but we're not naming names. "He had all sorts of shit in his bag. If he took it through an airport, he'd have been arrested. He had vials of shit, like liquid, hospital grade painkillers. Steroids. You name it, it was there. He had some, uh, regular customers in the locker room, and he was about to break out his bag for business, and it was gone. Next thing anybody knew, one of the wrestler's kid's had OD'ed and was laying in the parking lot behind the arena with a hypodermic hanging out of his arm. He was dying. Was Randy who found the kid. Saved his life, actually."

Dominick Mysterio had been the human pincushion on that occasion. Gunner had shot him up with Dilaudid and left him there to die.

"The burglaries, the stuff gone missin'...that all paled in comparison to this kid bein' dragged out behind a venue and left to die like that. When the paramedics brought him around, he said who did it to him. Gunner. The kid wasn't known for drug use, but Gunner was. Just not pharmacy-grade shit. Now things got real, real fast. Wellness Testing went through the roof. You'd think the focus would've been on, oh, I dunno," John said, now sarcasm filling his tone and he drained the Corona, "...getting the actual problem out of here? Like, the kid who shot up the other kid? The kid who's causin' all sorts of chaos? No, 'cause his old man was untouchable in the company. Focus had to shift off that and onto other things. It's like what America does. The whole gay marriage thing...it distracts from real issues. Let's forget that there's a kid goin' around unchecked and stealin' and possibly killin' other kids, and let's just bring up the old topic of what wrestlers are testing clean or dirty."

John shook his head. "They tried saying it was an in-house investigation, that they'd find who was dirty and trace it back from there...as if Rey's kid layin' in a hospital for more than a week wasn't enough to trace off of? Rey's still bitter about it. That's why you don't see a lot of him, even to this day. That incident killed his love for the company. Rey put his body on the line for how long, and that's the thanks he gets...his kid almost murdered by Taker's kid. Dominick didn't ask to get shot up, either. Ain't like he wanted to try the stuff, or bought it. Gunner held him down against his will and did it."

John chucked the bottle in the wastebasket. "And the testing turned up a few dirty, unrelated wrestlers, so suspensions went out. Taker insisted that there had to be a misunderstanding, and well, his word was law, Logan! Ain't nobody gonna call him on his shit...but somebody -did-."

Shook his head. "And what did -that- person get for his trouble? Got his father booted off a Legends contract and a storyline. Had the medical department write something up to make the old man look bad." This is why John was shocked that Randy didn't tell this part of the story. Randy and Cowboy Bob vs. Taker, ending in Taker freaking out and Bob's record of Hep C coming to light. Randy hadn't known about it. He'd been so ashamed. Taker had used confidential information and exposed it in a way that made him look like a victim, made himself look good, and came off smelling like a rose. Again, a distraction technique. Much like Nattie, the locker room didn't hold it against Randy. They chalked up his father's condition to old-school ignorance.

"Gunner didn't come around much for awhile but he..it's like we just wait for him to resurface. He's gotta be close to 20 now. I don't want you talkin' about him, I don't want you lookin' for him, I want you to avoid the subject. It's one of those 'family secrets' in the company and can only bring a lot of upset all over again."


	3. Chapter 3

It's rare that Logan's truly engrossed in any story. He takes to reading more than you would expect, but for him to be completely focused in on what's being told to him could be considered rare. He was at the age, the invincibility was kicking in big time. With health, with authority, it just felt as if he couldn't be touched. As if he was above it. It was bound to hit any young person, so John could see how this was holding his attention.

But as the story lengthen, his slight fear turned to irritation, then agitation, annoyance, and finally a silent little grudge in his head. What the fuck could Randy possibly mean by him "ending up as another Gunner," and how could it even be a possibility?

Logan could be a...Bit much to handle. He wouldn't be mad at you if you said it; he knew he could be an asshole. Not a brat, but a mature, graduated asshole. Wasn't always so mean, defiant, and brash, but years of getting spoken to any sort of way does that to you. People expected a brat out of him, so the behavior was delivered.

But once you got to know him, assuming you bother to even try, you'd see quite the opposite. It's how someone as nice as Cody gets the best out of him. They got to know each other. He thought he knew Randy, considering how long Randy had been coming around. A family friend for like...Over a decade now. For better or worse, and majority of the time it was probably worse, they had at least known of each other. Even though Logan had been only been on a intellectually conversational level for 3 years (Like you're really going to talk to anyone under the age of 12) he assumed Randy knew him some.

Apparently not. Randy got shitty over the comment Logan made about his parenting, so Logan was more than peeved over this comparison of what Logan could be come in due time with his "ringleader" behavior. A teen thief, manipulator, and overall tyrant who might just be liable to leave someone's kid damn near dead, and get away with it. Awesome. That feels awesome to know. See why he just doesn't bother with people in the first place?

He nodded, and had a lot to think over. He'd be taking this to a troll of a friend himself to see what he thought tomorrow, maybe the next day, but as for now, "Well, sorry I asked. Didn't mean to bring up a sore spot or anything. I won't bring it up anymore, or talk about him anymore. Promise." He said, getting up and heading back across the bathroom to his room.

* * *

"Wait," John said, quickly.

He shook his head and backtracked a little.

"I know it's a lot to think about. If you wanna talk about it...not now, but if you need to...we will. It was just a bad time, for a long time. And in the back of a lot of our heads, it still ain't over. Why do you think Randy hovers over Peyton? I try to give you freedom but if I even hear a whisper Gunner might be around, I'd be all over you and keepin' you with me. 'Cause in a situation where something so fucked up was going on, and we were more or less powerless to do a goddamned thing about it...it just wasn't right."

He shook his head and let Logan go to the bathroom, and thought about this discussion for quite some time.

* * *

Logan paused when John started up again, but he wasn't going to push the subject. It took all the self control he had not to, but it was clear this kid was something close to evil. Which only made the accusations against him hold that much more true, when he thought about comparisons.

So he's evil, now? Not just shitty, or rude, but evil. He rolled his eyes at the thought. "It's not something I need to talk about again. Not like I even know the kid or anything. His name just came up, and all of this happened. Anyway, G'night."

* * *

Neither Cena slept well. Meanwhile, Randy slept like a fucking champ. The next morning...

* * *

Hotels just shouldn't come with nice gyms. It was their last day in...Wherever the fuck they were, and since it was just a live event, no one had to be early. Papa Orton had gotten under his skin, easily, and now he was just slightly peeved. The conversation he had, or will have, with John are never bad, but he's not looking forward to this one.

Anyway, this gym was just...better than most. Well, it had more, including punching bags. And if there's one thing that will calm you down, it's being able to wail on something for a few minutes, or hours. And so he was having the best of times by taking out his aggression on the heavy bag. He knew a few patterns and everything, but everyone did, so it was nothing too special.

* * *

"You're gonna make your hands swell and bleed you keep doing that."

Stu Sanders, a/k/a Wade Barrett, had been watching the kid, and he was a little surprised. Not often you see someone mad enough to just unload on a punching bag, and the fact that he saw the kid around backstage anyway. He thought the kid was just clammy by nature anyway, but this was showing something else. It wasn't much technique to his punches, he really was just going at the bag.

Which is fine...With gloves on. Without them, your knuckles will feel like hell for days, and then you'll end up with some unhealthy joint problems. The kid had Cena all over him, but the mean streak was all his own. Could at least try to teach him the right way.

"Look at your hands. You might want to wrap 'em up before you keep going. It's gonna hurt." He declared, and didn't say much else. He took the little look the kid gave him with a smirk, not like the kid would come after him or anything. Kid couldn't be angry -and- stupid.

* * *

Logan had felt his hands stinging a long time ago, but had ignored it. They were supposed to hurt, going up against the bag. He knew that. Everyone knew that. That's why he gave Stu the shitty look in the first place.

Having to be watched now wasn't exactly how he wanted to go about this. For someone Stu's size, he was awfully quiet, and he shook a little at the sound of the voice. He took a breather to wrap his hands, and was going to back up against the bag.

Watch if you want.

* * *

John was wiped out emotionally from the talk with Logan and had just let him go, let him think and wrap his head around what John had told him. He just hoped Logan would do as John told him and kept his mouth shut about the information disclosed.

He showered and brushed his teeth, getting the taste of Corona out of his mouth and off his breath, and ended up coming on down awhile later, to see Wade Barrett looking on. John gave Wade a nod, a silent acknowledgement of "yeah, he's mine" and a quiet thanks when he saw the wraps on Logan's hands. He stood by the wall, a safe distance, letting the kid vent.

* * *

He'd do Logan one better.

Barrett walked up to the bag, and pushed it around a little while the kid walked away to cool off a little, when he came back, he didn't move. "If you want to do it right, I'll show you."

Now, the offer was on the table, and he knew Logan was unaware of John watching over them. If he wanted to be a little shit, well John could see the Logan everyone else got to deal with on a usual basis. Ha.

* * *

Logan was taken back by the offer. Outside of John, he didn't really talk to a lot of other people. Ben had been a constant and his longest reigning road friend, although he hated admitting to the notion that he held someone so close. It was just odd to do for him, seriously. The whole "tough guy" thing wasn't much of an act, it's just how he processed. Guard was obviously up. He didn't play nice too often, and didn't expect others too, either.

But the fact that Stu of all people, who wasn't exactly known for niceness, was the one offering to...hold the punching bag for him? I mean, he was a former fighter and knew his shit about this sort of thing (Why he took the advice in the first place), but still.

"Suit yourself." He said, and went back in on the bag. The kind gesture wouldn't be forgotten. Not saying he's going to pay him back or anything, but it would stick with him.


	4. Chapter 4

John continued to watch, covertly. Not because he was hovering, but because he was genuinely touched by what he was seeing. Wade (John didn't feel close enough to call the man by his real name) was making a conscious effort to reach out to Logan. His expertise with a bag and know-how saved Logan's hands from turning to complete hamburger. The guy didn't have to do this, yet he was.

It wasn't something John would forget, either. He also gets the distinct impression that Wade's doing it because he wants to, not because he wants anything from John. That's not common in this company, and it's not something that'll be forgotten.

* * *

Logan made eye contact with Stu, but only after the he saw Stu make eye contact with someone else in the room. As if Logan would even have to guess who the hell was back there. He didn't stop, he just kept going. Wade was trying tell him how to punch, and it was noted, but can a guy swing on a bag in piece?

Although, the help was sort of taken and applied, didn't mean he was really listening. Or that any of this meant anything. Fucking nice gestures and shit.

* * *

He never said anything about being your friend, or even trying to make a nice gesture. He was young and stupid once, and knew that it would feel great to get it all at first, but the following hours and weeks would be hell because your hands would be mush. Life goes on, and unless you can use your mouth and feet on a continual daily basis, consider this advice that you took, considering you did listen to him.

Something was bothering the kid, but he wasn't going to let him kill himself in one outing. "Remember you have limits." He said, grabbing the bag and holding it at a stand still. "You keep going like that you're going to be sore." He said. Not that he would stop the kid, he wasn't his legal guardian. More of a notification that pops up on your phone. A reminder.

* * *

Randy's got no idea that he's pissed this kid off. Seriously, he said what he had to say, and in Randy's mind, that was that. He's got no clue that the younger Cena would be so affected by his words, or more accurately, the assessment and allegation that lay within. So when he came down for his workout, he just offered his customary nod. That was extended to John, who should be working out and not standing by the damned door...no wonder Cena's abs aren't defined...then in by Wade and the kid.

"Sup," he said, as he put his earbuds in and went to the freeweights.

* * *

Logan kept going with the punches, and after a few shots that were given a bit more effort, he lost his focus. He was going to continue with the pummeling of the bag, but suddenly, it wasn't helping. Not with his source of deep thinking so close to him anyway. He was trying to get back on the ball, but gave Stu a look that was something close to a "sorry."

"Think I'm done. Not too much into it anymore." He said, going to unwrap his hands and took a seat on the bench near the lockers. John could go and start his own workout now, Logan was completely psyched out of it. He unwrapped his hands, unceremoniously dumped the wrap on top of Stu's bag, and was out of the gym before someone else had a chance to even mutter something towards him.

Some people.

* * *

A smirk came along Barrett's face when he saw the kid just suddenly lose all focus, and completely give up interest. Either he had gotten in trouble, or he was suddenly not a fan of either John or Randy. Odd, since he was probably around those two before anyone else, but he didn't bother to ask the kid. Wasn't his place to. In that little teenage kingdom, Logan's bad attitude could probably be revered as king. Stu wouldn't be the one to ruin the facade.

He nod to the kid as he left, got nothing in return, and laughed a little again. It took Stu almost 30 years to get that crabby. "Bloody hell."

He took the wrap for himself, and went for the heavy bag. His workouts were constant, and it's not like his cardio could get any better.

* * *

"You looked good on the bag. Yeah, I was watchin'. No, not a stalker," John said with an attempt of gentle humor Logan's way after giving an earned compliment.

Logan has been with John long enough to know that when John gives a compliment, there's an 80/20 shot that it's legit. Only 20% of the time would he bullshit a compliment.

Moments of bullshittery would include telling John's mother that no, the dress she's wearing doesn't make her look fat, but even knocks off 10 lbs...when Logan would see that Grandma looks like Paul Bearer in that dress. Logan's not one to be a recipient bullshit compliments anymore. Not since he was like almost 5 and finally mastered "Number 2" in the appropriate receptacle. Number 1 had been mastered early, mad scary early. But 2, well, lots of boys, more than you think, nail it finally right before kindergarten. The compliments about "doing the right thing" in potty training at any time past Logan's 4th birthday were the flimsy ones. Even had to argue with Mom on that one..."he's 4. So I should make this huge deal and mark out for him...when...he's ...doing what he's -supposed- to do...uh...okay."

"Johnny, you were closer to 6 when you finally got it down right."

Oh, the blush. He'd blocked those memories. So marking out had been the order of the time.

But that was over a decade ago. He wasn't entrusted to John full-time then, and when he did finally get Logan under his wing on a day to day, he shot for more honesty with a minimum of bullshit. He wanted the kid to respect him real, so he did what he could to set the example: showed Logan respect as the rule and not the exception.

Now clearly, Logan's annoyed but John isn't quite sure why. So he stopped him outside the gym and said, "First up, we're goin' to the trainer to clean your hands up." That was non-negotiable. But the next part was completely Logan's choice:

"Then breakfast. You can either go with me, or I'll give you $20 and you can go on your own."

* * *

"Knew you were in there, heard your stomach growl a few times when I was trying to focus, Logan said, wiping his face over. He gave John a stare while when he said he had to get his hands checked out, but then he took the time to look at his hands...Okay, fine. They were a little red, and they probably would burn when he flexed them for a few days, but other than that, so what? It's a physical sport, and he committed to doing it?

He didn't bother to argue. For as argumentative he can be, going with with John has really ever been a tally mark in the "W" column. Both of them being stubborn would probably make for good TV, but serious topics usually saw Logan going along with whatever it was John said anyway.

He was silent to the question at first. He didn't know if he wanted to be alone, although he's sure Ben would be waking up (well after breakfast hours) and he'd hang with him like usual. But being alone and brooding hadn't fixed anything, he could see that much. He almost found himself being nice, and that was just spooky all in itself. When they made it trainer's and he was getting his hands looked over, he sort of sporadically answered the question. "Yeah, I'll just tag along with you." He said before cutting a look to the doctor when he started pushing and tugging on his feelings. "That _hurts_."

* * *

The trainer asked if John minded if they gave Logan a topical anesthetic. John arched an eyebrow..."What kind?"

"Lidocaine."

"Patch or needle?"

"Patch is okay."

John almost passed out from that damn needle and knew Logan might, as well. That needle looks like it's for veterinary medicine, not human medicine. And we're not talking little cats, but giant horses and shit.

"Lidocaine's generally a 'script, Logan," the trainer explained, "but you're gonna only need this once, maybe twice, so it's okay." They were cutting the patch to fit the knuckles and a little bit of overage was able to be wrapped to the other tender areas of the hand. They'd be numb, just like Novocaine in the mouth. "Should last you a good 8 hours. Then you take the patches off and can go back to ice packs."

They wrapped him in gauze once the patches were adhered. John thanked the trainers and then headed towards the eating area. They didn't have to go in the coffee shop for it; the breakfast in this hotel was complimentary.

Breakfast was a buffet, and John knew Logan's hands were feeling fucked. "I'll carry your plate, you pick what you want. 'Cause take it from me, your hands are gonna be clumsy for a few hours."


	5. Chapter 5

"Surprise me, you should know me by now. Only been fifteen years, right?" Logan said, looking at his hands as he could literally feel going them numb. He was trying to get to his phone in his pocket, but they wouldn't work!

John may not have seen him look frustrated since he was a little kid. Not annoyed, or agitated, but frustrated. It just occurred to him that he really wouldn't be able to use his hands, and now they're just flopping around and he can't control them goddamnit!

"This isn't _even_ funny!" He fussed to no one in particular, trying to shake the feeling back in his hands. This is why he just stays angry, so he doesn't have to bother with any other emotions.

* * *

John nodded some and told Logan to go find them a table. He watched Logan's frustration building, and in the back of John's head, he's hearing his own voice saying, "this isn't gonna go well."

John picked through the breakfast offerings. He should've just taken Logan somewhere instead of picking through this...let's see. There's muffins, bagels, cereal. Yeah, try eating a muffin or bagel when your hand feels like a catcher's mitt. Try maneuvering a spoon. Spoons don't require much dexterity, but Logan has less than that right now.

He set the plate back down, walked to Logan and said, "C'mon. Let's find someplace, maybe the coffee shop, if not, then we'll go off grounds. Gonna have them make you a smoothie. You can manage a straw."

Figure, they'd grind the fruit fresh, and that's probably the only way this kid is going to be able to get something in his system without freaking out. Plus, the ice cold cup might also make his hands feel better.

* * *

_It would be fair to say that Logan Cena would be a little annoyed/sensitive regarding Randy Orton for some time to come. He'd do what he could to ensure his anger toward Randy didn't affect his friendship with Peyton, but there are no guarantees. Randy, for his part, is oblivious to how deeply he'd cut Logan with his words. Then again, Randy really didn't care. He'd made his point. Randy sees many things in black and white, with no grey areas, and Logan needing a "tune-up" was one of them. He'd said what he'd said, he wasn't sorry, and that's that._

_Now had someone spoken to -Peyton- like that...had someone even -hinted- that Peyton was going to be the next Gunner, Randy would have flipped the fuck out. There would have been no reasoning with him, no getting through. There would have been an explosion of temper that was common in Randy's previous years in WWE but not in a long, long time._

_Knowing this, he still didn't think it was unfair to John, what he'd said. Double standard? Yup. And the strangest thing of all is that Randy is NOT a "Not MY kid" parent. He takes great pains to make sure his kid is respectful when he needs to be and as decently adjusted as possible. But calling his son Gunner would be like calling his daughter a cunt. That's someone with a death wish, who'd say something like that. So for now, the story ends. Peyton's still not 100% sure of what happened but it's clear -something- did. It puts him in an awkward position, but then again, he's kind of used to that, too._


End file.
